Light Of The Killing Moon
by scoutsdream
Summary: After revealing to Inuyasha that she used to spy on him and Kikyo, Kaede relates the story of her childhood memories of the two. However, it seems that Inuyasha and Kaede have an eavesdropper of their own...
1. Dropping Eaves

Author's Disclaimer: I don't own any of this business. But I still think it's cool.

But you know what's NOT cool? Is when the italiacs decide not to work. I'm so sorry that all of the character's thoughts (of which there are a lot, mostly Kagome's) aren't italicized! They're pretty easy to identify, though. Aaaah!

Once again, sorry for the inconvenient thought thingy, and... I hope you like it! Remember to review and all that goodness.

-scoutsdream aka Me(A)ga(i)n

* * *

"Inuyasha. Hold. Still."

"OW! THAT HURT!"

"This, coming from a guy who can stand getting a hand punched through his chest, but can't stand a bit of antiseptic on a little scratch! Come on, please? Just sit still for one minute?"

Kagome Higurashi was sitting in Kaede's hut, trying to put some rubbing alcohol on her brave hero's wounds. Wounds he had inflicted on himself. To be perfectly honest, she didn't even mind his complaining, as long as it meant that she got to bandage his chest. Even though she would never admit it out loud, one of the perks of being Inuyasha's personal miko was the fact that she could stare at his muscles and pretend that she was actually tending to his wounds. Anything just to even be near to him, she thought.

Inuyasha submitted to her coaxing, and sat still, grimacing as she applied the antiseptic alcohol to his scratches.

"So, remind me again what it is I did to deserve this pain?" he asked, looking in her eyes with a hint of pained amusement.

Kagome, only too aware of the hard gaze he was giving her, broke away and went back to staring at his scratch. "Well... as I remember..." she began slowly, "Y-you were separated from the Tetsusaiga while you were fighting that scorpion demon, and... you went all pure demon on him, and tore him up."

Inuyasha let out a laugh at this, apparently amused at what he couldn't remember.

He thinks it's so great to have so much power, Kagome thought as she continued with her account of the afternoon's events. "Then, after he was defeated, Miroku rushed over to you to give you back the Tetsusaiga, but before it could change you back, you flung it into the forest and almost tore him a new hole in his hand. Then you went all crazy and started hurting yourself, until... I 'sat' you."

"That's all?"

"I'm pretty sure, yeah."

He laughed, more to himself than anything. There was a silence while Kagome applied more alcohol, taking her time to apply bandages. Suddenly, Inuyasha grabbed her hand, holding it against the bandaged wound, trying to find her downcast eyes behind her bangs. He raised her face up to look at her, but her eyes wouldn't stay on his face and wandered. "Kagome, I know... I know you hate it when I'm like that. To be honest... The last thing I want to do is see you hurt, but- I can't exactly help it, you know? But I promise... once the jewel is finished, and I can be a full demon, it won't be like that. I'll be able to control my power, and... you won't have to be hurt anymore."

Kagome's eyes were watering. She had so much to say, but no way to express her feelings without exploding. But the impulse was too great, so she let go. "What do you mean, it won't be like that? Is that a promise? How do you know that you won't be entirely uncontrollable? Inuyasha, look at the demons that go crazy just by possessing a fraction of that damned jewel! Look at what they do to themselves!

She pushed herself onto her feet, slamming the first aid kit into her backpack. The tears were streaming down her face, and she couldn't stop them. "Besides, what use am I to you once that stupid jewel is finished? I'm just a shard detector to you, right? You don't- you don't love me. You probably don't even consider me a friend. Besides... once the jewel is whole... you could have anything- anyone- you want."

Inuyasha's eyes were downcast. He wasn't sure if he should be angry, or sad. Obviously the subject of a completed jewel was a sore one for Kagome, but still he wondered what possessed her to rip into him. He decided that he couldn't be angry, and instead got to his feet and held out his arms to her. She burst into loud and noisy sobs and ran into his arms.

"Don't cry. You know that's not true, Kagome. Why do you say those things?"

She said nothing, but continued to sob into his kimono. Once her sobbing had died down, he lifted her face up to his again. "Are you okay?" he precariously asked. She nodded. With a slight awkwardness, she bent his head down and kissed him lightly on the cheek. Her lips felt like electric against his skin, and sent impulses to his brain that made him want more. He moved his mouth to hers, and pulled her tightly into him. She submitted to his hold, and let him kiss her. She kissed him back, being glad for the magnetic pull between the two of them. A lot like science, she thought. Opposites attract.

After a moment, she reluctantly pulled back, and he noticed a tear making its way down her cheek. He brushed it away, and she held his hand. Biting her bottom lip and still sniffing, she sadly said "I guess I'd better check on Miroku now..."

Embarrassed, he looked down. "Okay. Uh, come back later, please."

Another tear streamed down her face as she nodded. Then she stepped out into the dark and moonlit night, leaving him alone in the hut. But, mere seconds after Kagome left the hut, Kaede stepped into the hut just as Inuyasha slipped his kimono jacket back on.

"Whaddya want, Old Woman? Come to bug me about something?" He asked, in his usually disrespectful manner.

Kaede smiled, in spite of his general rudeness. "Inuyasha, it seems to me that something troubles young Kagome. I have just ran into her outside the hut, and it appeared that tears were running down her face, but she did not seem angry or hurt in any way... have ye anything to do with her tearful countenance?"

Inuyasha frowned. "Listen to me, you old... bat. You know perfectly well that you didn't meet Kagome outside. And you already know what happened to her. I know for a fact that you've been stalking outside that window for the past half an hour! Would you care to explain why the hell were you spying on Kagome and me?"

Kaede only smiled and walked to the fire in the floor, stoking it.

Inuyasha turned around, thinking out loud, wanting Kaede to hear him. "Why was she still crying? I thought I could make everything better."

"Perhaps ye have bogged her down with emotions. Women tend to take much upon their souls."

"Whaddya mean, that it's all my fault? Try again. Besides, you still haven't answered my question. Why were you spying on us?"

Kaede smiled still as she swept the hut. "Inuyasha, ye should know by now that I've always been something of an eavesdropper. Do ye remember when I was but a child, and I would spy on ye and Kikyo in the forest?"

Inuyasha's heart palpitated at the mention of Kikyo and he blanched, turning to the old miko. "N-no? Y-you saw us, all those nights that we would- talk?"

Kaede laughed, and it quickly turned to a cough. "As I recall, it was Kikyo and ye who taught me many a thing in your time together. Do you recall our first meeting, Inuyasha?"

Inuyasha's embarrassment subsided and turned into a soft resentment. He recalled that day that he fell upon Kikyo in his search for the jewel. He vaguely remembered a pretty little girl, recently wounded in the eye while getting caught in the crossfire of a battle. He shook his head out of the blurry memory, looking at Kaede. "No, I don't really remember."

Kaede said no more, and continued to sweep. Inuyasha heaved a sigh and plopped himself down onto the floor. After a few minutes of impatience, he couldn't take the silence anymore. "Kaede?"

"Yes, Inuyasha?"

"Will you... y'know..."

"I'm afraid I don't. Know, that is."

He sighed again in frustration. "Tell me how it went."

"How what went?"

"The story. About Kikyo and me. And you too, I guess. Since you were there, and all. M-my memory isn't all that great. So please."

Kaede smiled and put the broom in the corner. She came and sat across from him, and took up his spare kimono and began to stitch its' rips. "All right then. As long as ye have the will to say 'please'. And Inuyasha, do feel free to fill in the blank spots with your own ideas when I find them too vulgar to relate." Inuyasha went to protest, but she raised her hand for silence.

She cleared her throat and threw him a look that said 'talk and die', and began.

"Fifty years ago, back when you were older than me..."

* * *

Kagome left the hut, wallowing in her mixed emotions. How could he do that to me, she thought, starting off toward the other side of the village to where Miroku was being watched over by Sango. He can't just talk about the jewel without... what am I crying about? He kissed me! I should be thrilled! But why don't I feel so great? I need to talk to him.

She turned around to go back to the hut. Instead of walking toward the hut, she stood still as she watched Kaede walk into the hut. She might have heard us, Kagome thought, turning red at the thought, even though she knew that Kaede would never tell.

"I wonder if she'll say anything to Inuyasha..." She whispered before walking back to the hut to listen to their conversation.

She could hear him complaining about her tears to Kaede, and he asked her why she was eavesdropping. So she was listening, Kagome thought, closing her eyes.

At Kaede's mention of eavesdropping on Inuyasha and Kikyo, Kagome's eyes flew open. She spied on him and Kikyo when she was young?

Kagome couldn't imagine Inuyasha and Kikyo being civil or normal to each other, and the thought was uncomforting. He did used to love her, Kagome, it's really not that big of a deal, she thought, but her heart still felt weak. After all, she was Kikyo's reincarnation.

Inuyasha asked Kaede to tell him about what she remembered, and Kagome's ears automatically perked up. I probably won't want to hear much of this if Kaede thinks she has to censor herself... but I can't not listen.

So Kagome sat on the ground outside of the hut, and listened on tenterhooks as Kaede began the story of Inuyasha and Kikyo.


	2. The Burden of Kikyo, Child Priestess

Thanks to all three of you who reviewed... I always appreciate insightful feedback!

Gea -Thanks for the first review!

Sarcasm Girl8 -I try to write as often as I can, but I'm pretty notorious for my sporadical updating of Hojo Through The Well, my other story. Thanks for reviewing, I appreciate it.

Aiffe- Thank you so much for your review. I totally understand what you mean about Kaede's whole "ye" thing... I don't like it much, but I did want to keep her as "in character" as possible... I've gotten bad reviews for not keeping people IC. (Also, I just read your story about Kaede... Kinda similar in the essence of the theme, eh? I loved it!)

Thanks!

-Me(A)ga(i)n.

* * *

"Fifty years ago, back when you were older than me..."

Fifty years ago, back when Inuyasha was older than Kaede, it was the year of the Killing Moon. The Killing Moon only occurred every ten years, and lasted for one year. Somehow, in the years of Killing Moon, the moon's cycle had increased twofold, and so there were two full moons, and two new moons, every month. It was a time when demons did not run rampant very often, but when they did, they often went about destructing small villages just for the sake of proving their power.

However, there was one village that held a peculiar trait. There had been, in general, nothing very special about this village, other than it was often unusually peaceful. The village was right on the outskirts of a beautiful forest, which contained many strange and beautiful things. Within the village was a young priestess of great strength and skill. Her name was Kikyo.

Kikyo had been born to a retired warrior and the village's head priestess, Kaena. She had a very docile and normal childhood, being trained here and there to become a miko one day, perhaps succeeding her mother after she passed on. Kikyo showed great promise in many things, including her skills as a resident priestess-in-training, but most of all in archery. By the time she was six, she was practicing on sacks of flour, hitting each in their centers.

When she was nine, her mother had once again become pregnant. Kikyo, who was a very bright and happy child, marveled at the idea of having a small infant around to take care of. Upon the week that Kikyo's sibling was to be born, her father was called away to consult for a war, and he would not return for a long while. At hearing the news of her husband's journey, Kikyo's mother fell ill. Kikyo felt inclined at once to heal her mother and went out in search of an herb to calm the fever.

When she returned from the forest, one of the village women immediately ran to her, and warned her not to go into her mother's birthing hut, because a demon had possessed her mother's aura. Kikyo absolutely refused to stay away from the hut, and ran away before the woman could grab her. She was small and fast, and had a keen sense of her surroundings. Upon reaching the hut, she didn't even hesitate to enter.

Her mother lay on a mat, her father nowhere in sight. Her mother was groaning a great deal, but Kikyo knew she had to make her presence known. "M-mother... I'm here. I brought an herb to help you with your fever. Mother?"

Kikyo approached her mother, who was facing the wall. She crouched down apprehensively and looked upon her mother's face. Kaena's skin had turned a sallow, yellow color, much different from her normally pink and happy face. Her eyes were almost rolled entirely back in their sockets. Her hair had turned from a healthy blue-black sheen to entirely wispy and white. Her face had a look of calm, but it was not reassuring to see. Kikyo thought that her mother wouldn't speak, and placed her hand on her stomach, and felt the baby kick.

Much to Kikyo's surprise, her mother's eyes rolled back into place, and her look of evil calm was replaced by one of harried fear. "Kik-Kikyo... My daughter... I'm dy-"

Kikyo knew what her mother was saying, and wouldn't believe it. "NO! NO, YOU'RE NOT! Mother I brought this herb! It'll help you!"

Kaena ignored her daughter's yelling and fought the demon inside her, trying to invade her soul. "Kikyo. My soul is being taken over by an evil force. You must- you must shoot me with your arrow before I become truly evil. But first you must help me give birth to your sister."

Kikyo felt her eyes welling up with tears, but swallowed the lump that was forming in her throat. "A sister?" Her mother nodded. "Mother... if you really are dying, what will become of the village?"

Her mother coughed, and spat blood on the ground beside her. Kikyo tried hard not to look at her mother's pain, but it was becoming more and more difficult to not cry. "Kikyo," She began, looking at her daughter. "You are young, but you are strong. You are a wonderful nurse... my everything. It is up to you to take the burden of village priestess upon your soul. Here is what you must do.

"As soon as I am finished talking, you must take up your arrow and shoot my heart. Then, cut me- cut me open with your dagger, and remove your sister. Kaede." Kikyo's eyes spilled over with tears, but her mother continued. "Then, you must go and bless her in the creek. Then, hand her to one of the village women once she has been purified... Then- then go to the temple. Seek Nobunashi... he has something to- he has something for you.

"Kikyo... My daughter. I love you with all of my heart. And now, I ask you to please kill me."

Kikyo didn't want to do it. The tears came silently, but in streams. She stood up and drew an arrow. She watched her mother submit to the evil curse inside her, as her eyes rolled back into their sockets. As she let go of the arrow, she whispered, "I love you."

The arrow flew crisply into her mother's bare skin, right above her breast, blood blossoming like a spring lotus. As soon as her mother was dead, she worked rapidly and diligently to cut open her mother's belly, careful not to cut the baby inside of her. She retched at the sight of her mother's insides, but knew she must continue. The first thing she saw was a pair of legs. She grabbed them, and eased the slimy infant out of her mother, severing the cord that connected the evil of her mother's soul from the purity of Kaede's.

The baby, blue with suffocation, made no noise. Kikyo had no idea what she should to, but patted the baby's back like she had seen her mother do countless times.

"Kaede, wake up, please... tiny child, please scream."

As if Kikyo's wish was answered, Kaede let out a few tiny coughs and began to howl. Kikyo sighed with relief, numb with fear. She trembled as she walked out of the hut of her dead mother, and stumbled toward the holy creek. After giving the child a bath and saying a prayer of purity, Kaede fell into a sleep. Kikyo stood next to the creek, the clean, wet infant in her arms, looked at the little face and hands, feet, and small bit of dark brown hair on top of the child's head.

"Kaede... my baby sister," she crooned, for it was the only thing she could think to say. She held Kaede close to get her warm, and felt her eyes welling up once more. She then remembered her promise to go to the temple, and swallowed the lump in her throat for the last time that day. She convinced one of the village women to watch over Kaede for the time being, and traipsed over to the other side of the village, to the temple.

She entered the temple, the largest and most elaborate building in the Village. For a moment, she stared at the rice-paper screens, behind which were various altars for people to pray to. She had been in every shrine room, except one. The door to the main altar was open, and light streamed in from the window. Nobunashi stood in front of the doorway framed with light, towering above Kikyo's shivering form. He looked cold for a moment, but his face softened as he beckoned her to the side screen, to the room Kikyo had been warned never to enter.

The room scared her, and she remembered the story that her mother told her of the ceremony all people of the village had upon reaching their eighteenth birthday. On the eve of their eighteenth birthday, the young adults of the village were invited into the room to pray to some sort of idol, wishing for luck. And now, Kikyo, eight years old, was being ushered in by the Elder of the village.

"Kikyo, be not frightened. There only lies your duty in the room beyond," he said softly.

"You know what happened to mother?" asked Kikyo, apprehensive to enter.

"She warned me of this... she foresaw it, two moons ago."

Kikyo felt the tears again, and let one slide down her cheek. Be strong, she thought to herself, for mother. Do it for mother.

"Kikyo, cry not, child, for you have a great task in front of you. And it is not a matter of whether you choose to accept it, or no. This is your blessing, this is your burden. In this room," he began, gesturing into the forbidden room.

Kikyo's eyes widened as she observed a rose glow coming from beyond the Elder Priest's arm. The pink hue seemed to dance on the wall, and she was drawn to it. She took slow steps forward, until the was at the edge of the screen. She peered in, and saw something so beautiful, so terrible, the fortune of her future.

The room was not elaborately furnished; instead there was one simple stand, and on it, hung a necklace of jade pieces. On the center of the string, amidst all the jade pieces, hung a small crystal orb of a soft color. It sparkled like the eye of the universe, and Kikyo couldn't fathom its complexity, or its simplicity. Her heart was beating slowly, and she could barely breathe.

"This? This is my burden, this beautiful necklace?" She asked, moving nearer to it. "What is it? I mean to say, what does it do?"

Nobunashi had a smile upon his wise face. "This is the Shikon No Tama... your mother was the guardian until she passed, and now it is in your possession." He observed her peaceful and confused expression, and continued on. "The Shikon is what keeps the village free of demonic attacks... for the most part. It is something many demons desire. Your job, young Kikyo, is to keep the demons at bay."

Kikyo nodded, and dared to touch it. Upon touching it, she expected to feel warm, or forgiven for her sins, but instead, she felt nothing. She swallowed, and turned to Nobunashi. "Where will I live?"

Nobunashi took in a deep breath. He held out his hand to her, and she went to him and took it. He rolled the door closed behind them, and walked her out of the temple.

"I do believe you shall live with me and Satsuma in our humble shack... there is room enough. But at night, you must keep guard over the Shikon."

Kikyo nodded, even though she didn't know how she would guard the Shikon without being awake at all hours of the night and day. But the question of her baby sister beared heavy on her mind. "What will become of Kaede?" she asked, almost afraid for the answer.

"She will live with us as well, naturally," replied Nobunashi. "Did you think that we would simply leave her to wither away?"

Kikyo shook her head no. Nobunashi stopped her, and crouched down to her level. "Child, something in you has changed. I blame you not, for you have had an extremely trying day. It seems that your soul's flow of happiness and gaiety has ceased to exist... for now, let's hope that is a temporary effect."

"Of course," said Kikyo, but she knew that she would never be the same. She would never play with the girls of the village again with the same cheerfulness she had before. She wouldn't go running through the forest with no destination in mind. She couldn't even put her beloved sister first. The jewel comes first, thought Kikyo, as she entered Nobunashi's warm hut, to a pleasantly plump Satsuma, who was making a delicious smelling broth of some sort. Kikyo was almost pleased to find Kaede strapped to Satsuma's chest, sleeping peacefully, just as Kikyo had left her.

As she laid on her mat in the corner that night, she thought of what had happened. This is my new life, she thought. Kaede... and this burden that I know nothing about. She got up and went outside, to look at the moon. She threw back her head, and finally released the sobs that had been aching at her heart all day long. They came long and ragged, and her tears flowed freely as the stream. When she finished crying, she vowed to always remain serious and strong, so Kaede would never face the pain that she had. With that, she went back into the hut and slept, the rest of the night.


	3. Two sisters

Alrighty! Thanks to the two of you who reviewed, hopefully more people will read it soon. :)

This chapter's really long, and we haven't exactly gotten to any real interaction with Inuyasha yet, but it'll get there. I swear.

-scoutsdream aka Me(A)ga(i)n

* * *

Kagome sat outside the hut in awe. Kikyo, I had no idea... she began to think, but couldn't finish the sentence trailing off in her head_. I had no idea that you had such a messed-up childhood?_ Kagome sat in thought for a moment before realizing that Kaede had stopped telling the story.

"Kaede, I have somewhere to be in about a week. Do you think you could shorten this up?" drawled Inuyasha, feigning disinterest. _He's faking it_, thought Kagome from outside. _He ate up every last bit of that story!_

"Ah, but Inuyasha, was it not ye who asked for the story of Kikyo in the first place?" Kaede asked, as she rose from her seat.

"Well, yeah, but... I wanted to hear the part about me."

Kaede laughed as she stirred the fire again. "So ye don't want to hear about her toils with the jewel, and the village? And how she dealt with me?"

"Was she mean to you?"

"Let's say that Kikyo loved me the same way a lion loves a tiger. They are of the same lineage, but very different in their attitudes. A lion is proud, while a tiger is wild and feisty. They can fight and fight all the day, but will always share a bond, and that is what saves them."

Inuyasha had a puzzled look on his face. "So... she's the lion?"

"Yes."

Kagome wanted to laugh at the silliness of the conversation, but remembered that she was supposed to be incognito.

"Inuyasha, have ye heard any of this story before? The story that came before yours?" asked Kaede, standing for a moment's time.

"N-no... why should I have?"

Kaede walked over to a rug on the ground, and Kagome heard her walking toward the door, the very one she was crouched next to, listening. She moved slightly out of the way so as not to be seen by Kaede as she beat the dirt out of the rug.

Kagome nearly sneezed at all the flecks of dust that flew everywhere, but she was very skilled at stifling her sneezes. She placed her index finger into the spot between her upper lip and nose, and applied pressure. As soon as the sneezing feeling made itself absent, she removed her finger, breathing a quiet sigh of relief_. I don't know what I would do if Inuyasha found out I was listening..._ _He'd kill me_, she thought.

Kaede continued speaking to Inuyasha, who still laid in the middle of the room in his normal 'I'm bored' pose. "Inuyasha, haven't ye ever wondered how it is that Kikyo came upon the task of guarding the sacred jewel? Or why she never gave mention of her parents?"

"Well... sometimes. I mean, I figured she had you to look after, so she... I don't know! What's with the interrogation here? Are you going to get on with the story or not? Besides, how exactly is it that you know all of this if you were only a baby?"

"I have no reason to doubt the merit of my sister's story. She never told me a lie. If I wanted to know something she didn't want to tell me, she would merely tell me to mind my own business!"

"I've been there for sure," said Inuyasha, nodding.

Kaede laughed her old laugh and sat back down on the ground. "Let me begin again."

Kaede smiled and settled herself back in. Kagome automatically leaned her head toward the doorway to listen.

"By the time I was almost ten, Kikyo was nineteen and she was already a skilled priestess..."

By the time Kaede was almost ten, Kikyo was nineteen and she was already a skilled priestess. She could mix medicine with the best of them, and was also quite good at blessing the newborns of the village. Over the ten years that Kikyo had been village priestess, the invasion of demons had become more and more frequent, but Kikyo's skills in archery allowed her to shoot a demon at any distance or turbulence. Her arrows always managed to make their ways into the black hearts of demons.

Soon after Nobunashi had taken in her and Kaede, she got word from a messenger that her father went missing in the battle upstream, and he was presumed dead. Kikyo did absolutely nothing except vow to herself to heal the warriors who had stayed in the land of the living, to make sure they themselves did not become lost like her father.

Kaede had grown into a bright young girl, greeting the world around her every morning with wide eyes, never ceasing to be amazed at the beauty the world held. She proved herself to be a great assistant to Kikyo, gathering and identifying herbs for antidotes for wounds. Although she had lost her eye weeks before in a battle, on this one day, she seemed particularly carefree, running around the village like a wild beast.

"Sister Kikyo! I'm a wild beast of the forest! Shoot me, shoot me now!" She screamed as she raced past Kikyo, who was re-stringing her bow.

Kikyo was trying to ignore her little brat of a sister, but couldn't help but smirk into her lap. As soon as she was done fixing her weapon, she slung the bow and arrows over her shoulder, and got up from her sitting place.

"Kaede, come. We have business to attend to in the forest."

Kaede came to a running halt right in front of her sister, who towered over her small figure. "What business? I thought we got all the herbs yesterday?"

Kikyo raised her eyebrows. "Well, we did, but now has come the time to use them," she said, as she drew an arrow and laced it through the bow with the ease of a water mosquito slicing through the creek. She pivoted on her heel and let the arrow go, and Kaede heard an awful screech. There, pinned to the wall of the Shrine house, was a huge worm demon that had camouflaged himself against the wall.

Kikyo turned back on her heel to her sister. "Shall we go, then?" she asked, cool as ever. She sauntered over to the forest, leaving Kaede no choice but to follow after her. She threw back a furtive glance to the demon stuck to the wall, as his legs at last stopped twitching before venturing after her sister.

Over the past ten years, Kikyo had been honing her skill of being as one with the Shikon jewel. During the nights, she would wake up with a cold sweat, and leave her and Kaede's shared hut to go shoot down any demon that she had sensed in her sleep. Never had a demon set one foot into the shrine without Kikyo knowing about it, and going out to destroy them.

Kaede thought of her sister's gift as she walked a few yards behind Kikyo, who had a basket of herbs perched in the crook of her arm_. She's so quiet_, thought Kaede, who had grown up to be a boisterous and comical child, always trying to crack jokes in order to make Kikyo laugh, which was a rare occurrence. She ran up to her sister's side, and tugged on her sleeve. "Kikyo, please tell me where we are headed."

Kikyo continued to look ahead, being unusually cold this afternoon. "You'll know when we get there," she said, with no emotion in her voice.

"Kikyo? Have you been possessed?" she asked, sneering at her sister's cold demeanor. Usually, her sister was a little warmer than she had been acting today. Kaede knew that she was the only one Kikyo loved and cared for, but she wished that she were a little more affectionate in showing her love.

Kikyo let a little smile touch her lips, as she reached out a hand to place on Kaede's shoulder. "I have been possessed, but not in the way you think. I- I've had the sudden urge to go and help people outside our village... Kaede, I will tell you where we are going, but only if you promise not to ask any more questions about it until we get there, promise?"

Kaede mulled it over, and found the promise to be legitimate. "Deal."

Kikyo still had a faint smile on her lips, and her eyes became shiny as she walked on. "We are going to the nearest battlefield, where two groups have been fighting for many months now. The wounds are particularly nasty... or so I hear," she quickly added, turning her face away.

Kaede wanted to say something about her sister's behavior, but she couldn't ask any other questions, so she analyzed the situation in the confines of her brain. _I think she's already been to this battle place before_, from the way she talks, thought Kaede as she looked at her sister's peaceful expression.

Just then, an echo of a boom was heard, a sound Kaede identified as a tree being cut down. She knew then that they were nearing the battlefield. She looked up at Kikyo with fearful eyes, for she had not known that a battle had been happening so close to home. Kikyo squeezed her sister's shoulder in reassurance, as they neared the battle site.

They came upon hundreds of men on the edge of the forest, several wounded, several more sharpening their swords. Far off in the distance, Kaede could see the many warriors battling, but Kikyo was steering her to the right. Kaede looked behind her as she watched all the wounded disappearing from her sight.

"Sister Kikyo," she began confusedly. "I- I thought we were tending to the wounded!"

"We are, Kaede. There is one such soldier who needs such special care that I have taken the liberty of putting him in a cave near the mountains."

Kaede let out a little laugh. "I knew that you'd been here before. I could just tell, sister. Who could be so important as to attract so much attention from such a woman as Kikyo?"

Kikyo shook her head at her sister's remark, but continued on. "Kaede, the human you are about to witness is... well, I can't even be sure he's human. I know that he is not a demon... for I can not sense it. Although, I wouldn't put it past him to..."

Kikyo trailed off as she neared the myriad of caves at the base of the mountain. They walked for a moment until Kikyo stopped in front of a very inconspicuous cave, and walked inside. Kaede made a move to follow her sister, but Kikyo held out a hand to block her from entering.

"N-not yet, Kaede. Maybe in a minute... let me just see..." Kikyo seemed almost on the verge of a breakdown, something that Kaede had never seen in her sister before. Kaede trembled at the thought of losing her heart strong and icy sister to someone, something she had never seen before.

"Kikyo... don't do it, please. Don't go in there, sister. There's something wrong, and I-"

Just then, Kaede heard some coughing inside the cave. The cough was very violent, and it sounded like someone was dying. She thought Kikyo had read her mind when she said "I think he's dying. I- I can't be sure. For now, just... let me... see him..." she trailed off again as she disappeared into the darkness of the cave. Kaede almost wanted to call out, but knew better.

Within a minute, a light glow filled the cave, and Kaede peered in to see Kikyo hovering over a small fire, adding kindling. In the corner of the cave, Kaede could scarcely make out a heavily bandaged figure. The bandaged man murmured something in a deep and scary voice, one that made Kaede's skin crawl. Kikyo waited a moment before saying something back to him, throwing a slight glance over at Kaede as she said it. Kaede could barely make out what was being said, so she began to inch her way into the cave.

Kikyo looked back to see her sister standing, stock still, five feet away from her. The man almost whispered something in a quiet, skin-crawling voice, to which Kikyo said to him, not breaking eye contact with Kaede, "My sister. It is my sister."

The man in bandages moved an inch from the ground to try and get a look at Kaede. The thought of the man who must be so horribly disfigured looking at her shocked her. Her heart beat very fast as she neared closer to the fire. She wanted to say something, but couldn't find the words. She had a very bad feeling in her stomach_. Leave it to Kikyo to find the loser_, she thought.

"Well, Kikyo, aren't you going to properly introduce me to your sister?" croaked the man. Kikyo looked down at him and frowned.

"Kaede, this is Onigumo. Onigumo, my sister Kaede."

Onigumo let out an evil laugh, which shook the cave with a deadly force.

"Nice to meet you, Onigumo," said Kaede, even though it wasn't nice at all.

"I don't blame you for being afraid of me," he spat. Even though he was laying on his back, she could feel his eyes looking over to her. "I know I'm not pleasant to look at. But your sister has been helping me recover, and for that, I am ever in her debt." Kaede sensed a tone of irony in his voice, as if he thought it all to be one big joke.

"Kaede, will you please get that basket of herbs, please? Under the herbs you will find a pile of bandages. Please bring them here so you can help me bandage Onigumo."

_There is nothing I wouldn't rather do_, thought Kaede sarcastically as she pulled the basket over closer to her sister. Kikyo gingerly lifted Onigumo's head and instructed Kaede to unwind the soiled bandage. Kaede picked one point to stare at while she did the daunting task, but found it very hard not to look upon the gnarled and scabbed face of Onigumo. She looked into his eyes, burning black with evil_. This is not a man before me,_ thought Kaede, though said nothing at the time. She began to sing a small song in her head so that Onigumo would not read her thoughts.

Once his face was re-wrapped in bandaged, Kikyo looked up at Kaede and sighed. "Kaede, if you would, please help me with the bandage around his chest. I haven't changed that one in a while... I'll lift him from the front, and I would appreciate it if you could bandage him from behind. Also, please clean his back wound and apply the herbs."

Kikyo handed a damp cloth to Kaede, and gently but strongly pulled Onigumo's torso from the ground by linking her arms under his shoulders, as Kaede began to unwrap the gauze tied in back. She unraveled it to find barely a trace of blood on the bandage, but realized why it was on immediately. On Onigumo's back was a huge scar, with smaller scars shooting out from the center. Kaede caught her breath as the bandage fell completely away. She was hesitant to clean it, but knew that she must act quickly, as Kikyo was losing her grip on Onigumo.

Kikyo had barely touched the wound when Onigumo let out a growl and planted both of his hands on the ground behind him, holding himself up. Kikyo let go of him, panting, and Kaede screamed from shock. Kikyo quickly put her hand over Kaede's mouth and sent her out of the cave.

Kaede could still hear Kikyo and Onigumo arguing. "Onigumo, please... you aren't strong enough to be moving. Allow me to hold you up while Kaede cleans your wound."

"Kikyo, how do you expect I find the strength to eat? How do you think I've managed to empty my insides of waste? Not by magic, nor by help from anyone else. I'm much stronger than you think I am, you know," he said, in an acidly friendly tone.

"I understand that, but... you aren't fully recovered and you must reserve your strength for more important things."

"This is true. But for now, please, finish the job yourself. It appears I have scared your sister out of ever coming back here, which is too bad. I find her fear to be charming."

Kaede walked a few feet away from the cave and spat on the ground. _That man disgusts me_, she thought_. I can't seem to find an exact reason, but... I think I hate him._

She promised herself that she would tell Kikyo that she didn't like the evil Onigumo, in hopes that they would never have to go back to the place again. To pass time, she sat on a rock and listened to the sounds of the battle, not far off. She wondered what exactly happened to Onigumo to make him so bitter and injured, and began to wonder if it was really even the battle that had scarred him at all.

By the time Kikyo emerged from the cave a quarter of an hour later, Kaede grabbed her hand, and almost dragged her all the way back to the village. When they got to the other side of their forest, near to their village, Kaede stopped and looked up at Kikyo, who seemed frazzled at her sister's behavior.

"Sister Kikyo, how long have you been tending to Onigumo?"

Kikyo blinked and shook her head. "Why must you know this, Kaede? I am tired."

"I want to know because you're the one who dragged me to that awful cave in the first place. I need to know," she persisted almost whiningly.

"I have been tending to Onigumo for nearly two months now. "

"And in all this time he hasn't healed?" asked an outraged Kaede. "Don't you find that a little suspicious, sister?"

Kikyo looked down, biting her lip. "I- I don't care." She took up her sister's hand, and they walked out of the forest edge over to the meadow next to the village. The sun was setting, and cast an orange glow on the water and the trees in the distance. Both girls sat down on the grass, and Kikyo pulled Kaede into a surprising hug.

"Kaede, I know that something is wrong with Onigumo, something bad. But that is why I am still caring for him. I feel that I may be the one to turn him to purity again."

Kaede shook her head. "Kikyo, he seemed almost demonic in manner. I can't help but think- that he is deceiving you in some way."

"It's almost time for the year of the Killing Moon again, you know," said Kikyo, trying very hard to change the subject, and failing. She sighed as she pulled her sister in closer. "Kaede, you know I'll be all right. I am very able to care for you, and everyone else in the village."

"Yes, but... can you care for yourself?"

Kikyo looked up, shocked at this statement, but had no time to respond. Just at that moment, one of the village men burst through the bushes and ran over to Kikyo, panting. He dropped down to his knees, finally catching his breath.

"Lady Kikyo! Lady, I am so glad you have returned to us, but we must not waste any more time!"

"What has happened?"

"While you were gone- while you were gone, a demon tried to break into the shrine to steal the jewel!"

Kikyo looked alarmed at this. "But- surely I would have sensed if a demon had entered the proximity of the shrine!"

The old man shook his head. "This- this was a half demon. In human form, that is. So you mustn't have been able to sense him because of his human blood.

"Kikyo, you must go and shoot him down. He's been dodging around for an hour, and we've managed to hold him off from entering, but we can't do it for much longer! He's incredibly strong, and-"

"Lead me to him," stated Kikyo, with a kind of glint in her eyes. Never before had this challenge presented itself to her, and she felt ready to take it on.

The village man bowed, and ran toward the yells of the village, Kikyo and Kaede following quickly in his wake.


	4. Of Angels and Half Demons

Indeed I've been gone for a long-ass time. I sort of lost interest in all television for a while, this show included. But then I remembered it and wanted to write more. So I guess I'm writing it again! So yes. I changed a whole bunch of stuff around in order for the storyling to suit my needs. So this scene is a little more different than it was shown in the show. I'd like to think this is a mediocre chapter, as I've been neglecting this for so long.  
I don't own it, all that jazz.

-scout's dream, aka, me(a)ga(i)n.

As Kikyo and Kaede ran, they heard several shouts and loud noises in the direction of the temple. At a closer distance, they observed the men of the village running towards the shrine, only to turn around and run away again. Kikyo strung an arrow in her bow, and put her hand on Kaede's shoulder. "Kaede, you stay here. It seems that some hard-headed demon has decided that they are the owner of the jewel… we'll see about that."

Kaede noticed a slightly mischievous look in Kikyo's eyes. All of the shiny-eyed vapidness she'd had when she had been tending for Onigumo was gone. Kikyo turned back toward the shrine, which now had an inexplicable hole in its roof, and stalked forward, ready to shoot. Kaede of course, followed in silence, choosing not to listen to her sister.

_A half demon?_ She thought as she watched her sister run into the shrine house, the men of the village scattering like seeds off the premises to watch the outcome. _I've never seen a half demon before. I guess now is a good time as any to see one_, she mused. _Although I'd really like to see him alive before Kikyo kills him…_

Seconds following Kikyo's entrance to the shrine, the loud crashing noises were silenced. The men of the village murmured slightly, not knowing what to think. Had Kikyo slain the demon? Or, had the demon slain Kikyo? Kaede, not wishing to wait any longer, charged into the shrine house to look for her sister. Some of the men tried to protest, but were too scared to make a move or a noise.

Kaede crept into the shrine, a place she didn't spend much time in. Though small, the shrine had many rooms, a couple of which Kaede had never been allowed to enter. "K-Kikyo?" she mewed softly, peering around a few rice paper screens. She started her search on the rightmost door, with no results. Finally, she reached the leftmost door, the door that led to the jewel room. Of course, they'd be in here, she presumed, her heart beating ever faster.

She peeked in around the screen. There was Kikyo, bow still drawn, stock-still. She looked almost serene when she stood so still, much like the smooth stone Buddha statue that she had at one time witnessed a few monks dragging through the village. She wanted to whisper her sister's name, get her attention. But her attention was obviously drawn to something else.

The other side of the jewel room was dark, with the exception of the glowing jewel Kaede knew to be the shikon. Two eyes flashed through the darkness, making a shiver go down her spine. This shiver, however, was one of excitement. A real live demon inside the temple, she thought. _No demon had ever managed to creep inside during Kikyo's reign as priestess. And now, a half demon has managed to outwit my sister?_

The demon, too, although not clearly visible to Kaede, was standing in a defensive stance as well, mirroring Kikyo's. _Why aren't they fighting_, Kaede wondered.

One of his fists was clutched around the jade string that held the shikon. Now Kaede knew the reason for the prolonged silence; they were both planning their next moves.

She stood there, watching the two of them in the room ahead of her, for what seemed like hours. Finally, Kikyo gave a soft laugh. Her grip on the bow had loosened significantly.

The demon spoke. "And what is it you find so funny about our situation, wench?"

Although Kaede couldn't see her sister's face, she sensed a smirk fall across it. "Well, demon, you'll be happy to know that you are the first of your kind to ever enter this temple in search of the jewel while it has been under my watch."

The demon stepped forward and in front of the jewel, and Kaede noted his long, silvery hair complete with two white ears, and blood-red kimono. His eyes flashed a yellowish gold, and he had an impish grin. He looked no older than Kikyo, and more humanlike than any demon she had ever seen before. "Heh," he sneered, showing his pointy canines. "You must have noticed that I'm not really a demon. I'm a mere half-demon. And now I'm the first to break the consistency of your watch. This is what I'd call a good day."

"Congratulations, half-demon. However, if you touch the jewel, I doubt very much if you make it out alive."

"Oh, is that a challenge?" the demon sneered once more. Sneering seemed to be something this particular being was skilled at. "Because I love a challenge."

"So do I," Kikyo quietly said. "And I'm not particularly thrilled about shooting you inside this place of worship. So why don't we take this outside?"

The demon looked at her as if she were kidding. Then, before Kaede knew what hit her, he had flipped back over the jewel, grabbed it, and made a mad dash for the door she was standing behind. "Don't mind if I do!" he yelled back at Kaede's sister, as he ran right toward her hiding place. He collided with her, both of them clumsily falling to the floor.

"Outta my way, kid!" he yelled as he got off of the floor and sped off. Kikyo was right behind him.

"Thank you, Kaede," she said hurriedly as she rushed past her sister.

"You're welcome," Kaede said to no one but herself. She got up and dusted herself off, and ran as fast as she could after her sister, pursuer of the only demon to ever steal the Shikon jewel.

----

"Damn right, I am!" Inuyasha exclaimed, hitting his hand excitedly on the ground. "I mean… I was, until Naraku got it."

"Well, Inuyasha," Kaede began as Kagome heard her rise from her chair by the fire. "Be that enough story for ye? Or want ye more?"

"You didn't even get to the good part yet."

"That, being…?"

"When… when… I don't know when it gets better, but I know it does! Besides, why did you need to give so much backstory about Onigumo? I mean, I already know about his transformation into Naraku…"

"But ye needed to see why Kikyo was the way she was when you met her. There is much more to the story of Kikyo and Onigumo than meets the eye."

Inuyasha sighed. "Yeah, I know he was in love with her. And that's why he turned into Naraku, because he was so evil and jealous of me and her. Whatever. Less chit-chat and more story… please."

Kagome sighed. She was beginning to see why Kikyo was so sad all the time…

"So I followed ye and Kikyo…"

---

And so ten-year-old Kaede followed Kikyo and the demon, all the way into the forest. Kaede again found them in a scene of still life, him pinned against a tree, her only yards away from him, bow rigidly drawn again.

Kikyo's face was drawn into a look of concentration. This was a new experience for her, and the fact that the jewel was out of the shrine was all too surreal. "Give me one good reason not to shoot you."

With his head down, Kaede thought she heard him mumble, "I think you're cute."

Kikyo's eyebrows flew up. "What?"

"I said… I-I'll give you back the jewel."

Kikyo's face eased up, but she still had the bow drawn back. "Do you… do you swear?"

"I guess." He made a move to come toward Kikyo. She tensed up even more on her bow, but he held up the jewel in front of him. "Fine. If you don't trust me, come get it yourself."

"I… I can't," Kikyo said, a brief look of fear crossing her face.

"I don't bite… much," the demon joked. Kikyo didn't find it funny in the least. "Okay then, have the girl come get if from me."

"What girl?"

"The girl behind you. The one that looks like you."

Kikyo didn't turn, but she spoke to her sister, who stood in the bushes a few yards off. "Kaede?"

Kaede sighed. "Yes, sister Kikyo?"

"Please go fetch the jewel from our half-demon friend."

"Yes, sister Kikyo." Kaede slunk over toward where the demon stood, jewel out in his hand. Noting her fear, he crouched down to her level and held it further out to her in his clawed hand, moving his eyes from Kikyo to her.

"What's your name?" he asked, a look of amusement on his face.

"Kaede… And what's yours?"

"Inuyasha," he said, as Kaede took the jewel from his hand. "Your sister doesn't seem to like me very much," he said. "But that's okay. I don't really like her either." He looked up to Kikyo and grinned.

To Kaede's surprise, her sister returned the grin, looking genuinely and inexplicably happy.


End file.
